Push button assembly

ABSTRACT

A push button assembly, for example, for selecting the operating condition or mode of a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus or the like, has a single driving solenoid, motor or the like means which moves an actuator upon its energization in response to closing of a switch by depression of any one of a plurality of selecting members that are individually depressable. The selecting members are all movable as a group with the actuator of the driving means and, where depressed, each selecting member is coupled with a respective operating member to also move the latter with the actuator and thereby establish the desired operating condition. A locking means is provided to hold each operating member in its displaced position until another of the operating members is displaced. Further, each selecting member has a latch associated therewith to hold the selecting member depressed until the actuator of the drive means completes its movement.

United States Patent [45] July 11, 1972 Machida [54] PUSH BUTTONASSEMBLY [72] inventor: Tetsuo Machlda, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: SonyCorporation, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 18, 197i 211 Appl. No.:144,580

[30] Foreign Application Prlority Data May 19, 1970 Japan ..4$/42709Aug. 29, i970 Japan ..45/75792 [52] U.S.Cl. ..335/l59, 200/5 E [5|] Int...H01h 9/26 [58] FieldoiSearch ..335/l59, I60, [61;200/5 E,

200/5 B. 5 D, 5 EA [561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,487,l76l2/l969 Stout ..200/5 B 3,448,417 6/1969 Schiller et al ..200/5 EPrimary Examiner-Harold Broome Attorney-Lewis H. Eslinger, AlvinSinderbrand and Curtis, Morris & Safiord ABSTRACT A push buttonassembly, for example, for selecting the operating condition or mode ofa magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus or the like, has a singledriving solenoid, motor or the like means which moves an actuator uponits energization in response to closing of a switch by depression of anyone of a plurality of selecting members that are individuallydepressable. The selecting members are all movable as a group with theactuator of the driving means and, where depressed, each selectingmember is coupled with a respective operating member to also move thelatter with the actuator and thereby establish the desired operatingcondition. A locking means is provided to hold each operating member inits displaced position until another of the operating members isdisplaced. Further, each selecting member has a latch associatedtherewith to hold the selecting member depressed until the actuator ofthe drive means completes its movement.

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6 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR.

TE T5U0 MACHIDA Patented July 11, 1972 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Patented July 11, 1972 3,676,810

6 Shuts-Sheet A INVENTOR.

TE T5U0 HACHIHA Patentacl July 11, 1972 3,676,810

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

7ET5U0 MAGHIZM "Law WM Patented July 11, 1972 3,676,810

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

7ET5U0 MACHIBA PUSH BUTTON ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a pushbutton assembly, and more particularly to a push button assembly bywhich the operating condition or mode of a magnetic recording andreproducing apparatus may be selected.

Generally, a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus employspush-button actuated switches corresponding to various operativeconditions of the apparatus and solenoids selectively energized inresponse to actuation of the switches. For example, when a switch forreproducing operation is actuated, some of the solenoids are energizedto change over the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus to itsreproducing condition and these solenoids are continuously energized tohold the apparatus in that condition. It will be apparent that the useof a plurality of solenoids increases the manufacturing cost of themagnetic recording and reproducing apparatus and that the continuousenergization of the solenoids leads to an undesirable power loss whichis particularly objectionable when the apparatus is battery-powered. Apush button mechanism of the type which does not employ such solenoidshas also been widely used. With the existing mechanism, however, aselected button must be depressed a substantial distance to its lockedposition against a relatively strong biasing force of a spring mountedon the selected button or the locking means, so that the operation ofthe push button mechanism requires relatively large manual exertion.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved pushbutton assembly for selecting the operating condition a mode of anassociated electrical apparatus.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly in which apredetennined operative condition can be selected and maintained by theslight depression of a desired button with the exertion of a relativelysmall force.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly, as aforesaid, whichemploys a single drive means, such as, a solenoid, motor or the like.

Another object is to provide a push button assembly in which thesolenoid or other drive means is energized only during changing of theselected operative condition, and hence the rise of power is relativelylow.

A further object of this invention is to provide a small push buttonassembly which is inexpensive and easy to operate.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a push buttonassembly which is suitable for use with a magnetic tape recording andreproducing apparatus, a video signal recording and reproducingapparatus, a dictating machine or the like.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a push but ton assemblyhas operating members individually movable from a rest position to adisplaced position for establishing the corresponding operatingcondition or mode, with each of the operating members being locked inits displaced position until another of the operating members is movedto its displaced position, and a single drive means is provided toeffect the movement of a selected operating member to its displacedposition upon the actuation of a respective selecting member whichserves to initiate the energization of the drive means, as by a switch,and also serves as a temporary coupling or connection between the drivemeans and the selected operating member.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention,will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrativeembodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view of a push button assembly according to oneembodiment of this invention, and which is particularly suited for usein a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II II on FIG.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2, but showing successive stagesin the operation of the push button assembly in selecting one of itsoperating conditions;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. I, but showing the push buttonassembly following the stages of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is another view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing theassembly in the condition of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modified form of drive meansfor the push button assembly according to this invention;

FIGS. 8, 9 and III, are side views illustrating another modification ofthe drive means for the push button assembly according to thisinvention;

FIG. II is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion portion of the drivemeans of FIGS. 8 l0; and

FIG. I2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the drivemeans shown in FIGS. 8 II.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. I and 2, itwill be seen that the push button assembly according to this invention,as there shown, is intended for application to a magnetic recording andreproducing apparatus (not shown), such as, a tape recorder which, inthe course of its operation, is required to stop the movement of thetape, to move the tape forward at a normal speed, to move the tape inthe reverse direction of the normal speed, to effect fast forwardmovement of the tape, or to efiect the fast reverse or rewindingmovement of the tape.

The illustrated push button assembly for selecting any one of the abovedescribed operating conditions of an associated apparatus comprises astop push button 1A, a normal forward push button 18, a normal reversepush button 1C, a fast forward push button ID and a rewind push buttonIE. These push buttons IA to IE are individually depressable to changeover the conventional mechanisms (not shown) of the magnetic recordingand reproducing apparatus by which the stop, normal forward (duringrecording and/or reproducing), normal reverse (during recording and/orreproducing), fast forward and fast rewind operating conditions areachieved. As shown on FIG. 2 with respect to the normal forward pushbutton 18, such button is formed at one end of a lever 38 pivotallymounted at the other end on a common fixed shaft 2 carried at its endsby a frame or chassis C, and the underside of button IB has formedthereon a protrusion 48. The lever 38 is biased upwardly by a spring 58to normally rest against a stop 6. The other push buttons 1A and IC toIE are identical with the push button 18, and all of the push buttonsare arranged in a lateral array.

Under the push buttons IA to IE there are disposed selecting members inthe form of levers 8A to SE, respectively, mounted on a common slideplate 7. The common slide pate 7 extends laterally, that is, in thedirection of array of the push buttons IA to IE, and the selecting lever8A to are hinged about a common pin 9 fixedly mounted on the slide plate7 so as to be disposed beneath the respective levers 3A to SE. The plate7 is slidable reciprocably in the direction of the arrows II and 38 onFIGS. 2 and 3, and the selecting levers 8A to SE are movable therewithas a group while being individually depressable by actuation of therespective push buttons IA to 1E. The selecting levers 8A to BErespectively have projections 10A to I05 depending from their endsremote from pin 9 and each of levers 8A to HE is biased upwardly againstits respective push button, as by a spring 118 shown on FIG. 2 withrespect to lever 88. Levers 8A to 8B further have lateral projections12A to 12E, respectively, which are disposed above respective slots 13Ato 13E formed in plate 7.

In order to hold each of levers 8A to SE in its depressed positionfollowing momentary actuation of the related push button, L-shaped latchlevers 14A to ME are pivotally mounted on plate 7 adjacent levers 8A to88, respectively, for example, on the pin ISB shown on FIG. 2 withrespect to lever 14B, and project through slots ISA to 13E,respectively. Each of the levers 14A to ME has a nose at one end, forexample, the nose 408 on the lever B in FIG. 2, for engagement with theprojection 12A to 12E on the respective lever 8A to SE, and each latchlever A to 14E is urged as by a spring 168 on FIG. 2, to rock in thedirection of the arrow 17 for engaging its nose 408 with the respectiveprojection I2B when the selecting lever 88 is depressed.

A spring I8 is connected with the slide plate 7 to urge the latter inthe direction of the arrow I9 to the rest position shown on FIGS. I and2.

Under the selecting levers 8A to BE there are disposed reciprocableoperating members A to 205 for actuating the drive mechanism of theassociated magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus. For example,the actuating lever 208 for bringing the drive mechanism to its normalforwarding condition is disposed lengthwise under the selecting lever88, and has bored therein an aperture 2"! which is adopted to receivethe projection I08 of selecting lever 88 when the respective push buttonIB is depressed. Further the operating member 208 is biased by a spring225 in the direction of the arrow 23 to its rest position shown on FIGS.I and 2. The other operating members 20A and 20C to 205 are identical inconstruction with the member 203.

A locking means is provided for locking each of the operating members20A to 20E in its displaced operative position. For example, as shown, alocking plate 24 extends laterally above the members 20A to 205 and hasformed integrally therewith locking fingers 25A to 25E which are alignedwith the operating levers 20A to 205, respectively. The locking fingers258 to 25E corresponding to the operating members 208 to 205 havetapered edges 268 to 26E leading to notches 27B to 275, while thelocking finger 25A corresponding to the operating member 20A forstopping the drive mechanism has no notch but merely has a tapered edge26A. The locking plate 24 is biased laterally by a spring 28 in thedirection of an arrow 29 (FIG. 1). Further, the operating levers 20A to20E are formed with upstanding projections 30A to 305 located to beengageable with the fingers 25A to 25E of the locking plate 24.

A switch means is provided to be actuated when any one of the pushbuttons IA to IE is depressed. For example, as shown, a common switchactuating plate 31 is pivotally supported by means of fixed pins 32 soas to extend laterally below the operating members 20A to 20E and isbiased upwards by means of a spring 314:. Under the actuating plate 3]there is a single micro-switch 33 having an actuator 34 located fordisplacement by the switch actuating plate 31 upon depression of thelatter. The plate 3I has depressions 35A to 355 formed at locationsbelow the selecting levers 8A to BE, respectively.

In the embodiment being described, a solenoid 36 is provided as a commondrive means for the operating members 20A to 20B and its energization iscontrolled by the switch 33. The armature 37 of the solenoid 36 iscoupled to the slide plate 7 to move the latter in the directionindicated by an arrow 38 in FIG. 3 upon energization of the solenoid. Inorder to release any of the latch levers 14A to I45 engaged with itsrespective selecting lever 8A to 85 upon completion of the movement ofslide plate 7 by solenoid 36, fixed cams 39A to 39E are disposed forengagement with cam foiloweres, for example, as indicated at 428 on FIG.4, provided at the ends of the latch levers remote from the latchingnoses thereof.

With the arrangement described above, the associated magnetic recordingand reproducing apparatus is in its stop condition when the severalunits of the assembly are in the condition depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.When it is desired to initiate the normal forwarding operation of theassociated apparatus, the normal forward push button 18 is softlydepressed. Upon depression of the push button III, the selecting lever88 is pressed down by the protrusion 48, as shown in FIG. 3 and, at thistime, the projection IIIB of the lever 88 tends through the aperture 218of the lever 20B and depresses the switch actuating plate 3|. Thedepressed actuating plate 31 presses the actuator 34 of switch 33 toclose the contacts of the latter. When the selecting lever 88 is pusheddown to turn on the switch 33, the nose 40B of the latch lever 14B urgedby spring 168 engages the projection 12B of lever 83 to retain thelatter in its depressed position and thereby maintain the engagement ofprojection I08 in the aperture 2IB of operating lever 2013 even thoughpush button 18 is only momentarily depressed.

The closing of the contacts of switch 33 causes energimtion of solenoid36 to retract its armature 37 and thereby pull slide plate 7 in thedirection of arrow 38. All the selecting levers 8A to 85, being mountedon the slide plate 7, are moved therewith, but only the selecting lever83 for the normal forwarding operation is in engagement with theassociated operating member 208 as above described. Thus, the operatingmember 208 for the normal forwarding operation is also pulled in thedirection of arrow 38, as shown on FIG. 4, for changing over themagnetic recording and reproducing apparatus to its normal forwardingcondition. During such movement of operating member 208 from its restposition of FIG. 2 to its displaced position of FIG. 4, the projection30B thereon acts against the tapered edge 26B of locking finger 258 tolaterally move locking plate 24 in the direction of arrow 4! on FIG. 5against the spring 28. When the projection 308 has moved beyond thetapered edge 268, it is urged into engagement with the notch 28]! oflocking finger 251! by the biasing force of the spring 28, therebyretaining the operating member 208 in its operative or displacedposition as shown on FIG. 5.

When the projection 10B of selecting lever 8B falls into the depression35B of switch actuating plate 31, the latter is raised by spring 31a toremove the pressure of plate 31 from the actuator 34 of switch 33.Further, the follower 42B of the latch lever 143 runs on the cam 39!! toturn the latch lever in the direction of arrow 43, (FIG. 4), thereby todisengage nose 408 from projection 12B of the lever 88 and hence permitspring 118 to raise the lever 85 for removing its projection 103 fromaperture 218 of member 205. As a result of the foregoing, switch 33 isturned off to deenergiae solenoid 36 and permit the slide plate 7, whichis uncoupled from the operating member 208, to be moved by the force ofspring 18 in the direction of arrow I9 back to its initial position. Theselecting lever 88, and the other selecting levers 8A and SC to 85,return with plage 7 to their original positions, as shown in FIG. 6.However, the operating member 20!! remains locked by the locking plate24, and hence is retained in its operative or displaced position tomaintain the normal forwarding operation of the associated apparatus.Thus, it will be seen that, once the push button 18 has been depressed,the operating member 208 is positively moved to and held at itsdisplaced position to continue the normal forwarding operation, evenafter the manually applied force for depressing push button 18 has beenremoved therefrom.

After completion of the above operation, the projection 10B of selectinglever 8B is not aligned with the aperture 218 of operating member 208,as will be seen from FIG. 6, so that, even if the push button IB isagain depressed, the projection I08 cannot act on switch actuating plate31 to close switch 33 and accidental operation is prevented.

In order to stop the normal forwarding operation after such operationhas been established in the manner described above, the stop push buttonIA is lightly depressed. Upon depression of button IA, the operatingmember 20A is moved in the direction of the arrow 38 in the same manneras has been previously described with respect to member 208. In thecourse of such movement projection 39A of member 20A pushes against thetapered edge 26A of finger 25A of the locking plate 24 to urge thelatter in the direction of arrow 4I on FIG. 5, and thereby to disengagethe projection 30B of member 208 from the notch 27B of finger 26B.Thereupon, operating member 208 is free to be returned to its restposition by the action of spring 228. Further, since finger 25A does nothave a notch for receiving the projection 30A, the operating member 20Acannot be loclted in its displaced position. When the selecting lever 8Areaches the position corresponding to that of the lever 88 on FIG. 4, sothat switch 33 is turned off and latch lever 14A releases lever 8A forraising of the latter and disengagement of its projection 10A fromaperture 21A, the freed operating member 20A is returned by its spring22A to the rest position thereof. Accordingly the push button assemblyis restored to its initial condition described with reference to FIGS. Iand 2.

When selecting an operating condition other than the normal forwardcondition, the push button assembly operates in the same manner as hasbeen described above. In each instance, the selection of any operatingcondition serves first to unlock any of the operating members A 20Epreviously disposed in its displaced or operative position and theoperating member corresponding to the newly selected condition is therelocked in its operative position by locking plate 24.

Referring now to FIG. 7, it will be seen that, in a modification of thepush-button assembly described above, the solenoid 36 constituting thedrive means of the latter is replaced by an electric motor 45 which isenergized when the switch 33 is closed or turned on and which has a gear47 affixed to the motor shaft 46. The gear 47 meshes with a rack 48formed on one side of an actuator 3 connected to slide plate 7.Accordingly, when switch 33 is in the on state to drive the motor 45,actuator 37 and plate 7 are moved in opposition to the spring 18. Whenthe switch 33 is turned off, the actuator 37 and plate 7 are returned byspring 18 to the initial position. During such return movement, themotor 45 is not energized, so that it is turned in the reverse directionby the force of spring 18 but this does not cause any difficulty inoperation. Of course, apart from the elements shown on FIG. 7, the pushbutton assembly of that modification is identical to the assemblydescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIGS. 8 to 12 illustrate another modification of the drive means in apush button assembly according to this invention, which modificationreduces the power dissipated in operating the assembly. Morespecifically, in the drive means of FIGS. 8 to l2, the stroke of thesolenoid 36 which is utilized for driving the plate 7, so as to move aselected operating member from its rest position to its displaced oroperating position, is limited to a range in which the force exerted bythe solenoid is relatively great. FIGS. 8, 9 and I0 show the illustratedelements in the conditions thereof corresponding to the conditions shownon FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, respectively, and it will be seen that aninterconnecting means 69 is interposed between the solenoid 36 and theslide plate 7. Such interconnecting means includes a lever 52 pivoted bya pin 51 at one end to the armature 37 of solenoid 36 and a lever 54pivoted at one end, as by a pin 53, on the chassis, and these levers 52and 54 are biased upwardly by springs 55 and 56, respectively. The lever52 is pulled by a spring 56a toward the right as viewed on FIG. 8. Asshown particularly on FIG. 12, levers 52 and 54 have upwardly projectingpawls 57a and 57b and a pawl 58 at their free ends, respectively, andupwardly bent projections 59 and 60 extend laterally from levers 52 and54, respectively, intermediate the ends of the latter.

An axle 61 is mounted on the chassis and a ratchet wheel 62 and a pinion63 are rotatably mounted on axle 61 so as to rotate together. Theratchet wheel 62 and pinion 63 are formed with arc-shaped apertures 64of the same configuration. The pawls 57a and 57b of lever 52 areengageable with the teeth of ratchet wheel 62 to rotate the latter inthe clockwise direction, and the pawl 58 of lever 54 is also engageablewith the teeth of the ratchet wheel 62 to prevent reverse rotation ofthe latter. The axle 61 also rotatably supports a drum 65 and a pin 67projects axially from one side of the drum 65 and extends throughapertures 64 as depicted in FIG. 1I. Between the drum 65 and the chassisthere is interposed a return torsion spring 67a (FIG. 1 l) which lightlyurges the drum 65 to turn in the clockwise direction as viewed on FIGS.8 10.

A rack 68 meshing with the pinion 63 is secured to the slide plate 7 toefiect the displacement of the latter in response to rotation of pinion63 with ratchet wheel 62. In the illustrated example, the solenoid 36 issupplied with an intermittent voltage, such as, an AC voltage which isproduced by DC to AC conversion. Since the other components of the pushbutton assembly having the drive of FIGS. 8 to 12 are exactly the sameas those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, such other componentsare neither shown nor described for the sake of brevity.

When the push button assembly having the drive of FIGS. 8 to 12 is inits stop condition, the interconnecting means 69 thereof is in thecondition depicted on FIG. 8 and the other components are in theconditions shown on FIG. 3.

By lightly depressing the normal forward button 18, the same operationsas those previously described with reference to FIG. 3 are initiated toturn on the switch 33 for energizing solenoid 36, by which its armature37 is retracted, that is, moved in the direction of arrow 38 to causepawl lever 52 to drive ratchet wheel 62. In this case, since solenoid 36is supplied with an intermittent voltage, the armature 37 is repeatedlyretracted and, even if the movement of the armature 37 is small, therepeated stroking thereof can achieve a relatively large angulardisplacement of the ratchet wheel 62. The rotational movement of ratchetwheel 62 causes the rack 68 to move in the direction of arrow 38, sothat the slide plate 7 also moves in the same direction to bring theassembly into the normal forwarding condition and turn off the switch33, as in the previously described embodiment.

Due to the opening 670 acting on drum 65, the pin 67 initially restslightly against the end 71 of apertures 64, as shown on FIG. 8. Asratchet wheel 62 is turned clockwise in response to operation ofsolenoid 36, pin 67 rests against projections 59 and 60 on levers 52 and54, for example, as shown on FIG. 9, and the spring 67a does not exert asufiicient force to cause pin 67 to affect downward displacement ofprojections 59 and 60 against the upward forces of springs 56 and 55respectively acting on lever 52 and 54. However, as the step-by-steprotation of ratchet wheel 62 is continued, the end 70 of slot 64 comesinto engagement with pin 67 so that the latter is carried along by theratchet wheel in its further clockwise rotation. During such furtherrotation of ratchet wheel 62, pin 67 acts downwardly on projections 59and 60 to depress pawl levers 52 and 54 and disengage the respectivepawls from ratchet wheel 62. The disengagement of the pawls 57a, 57b and58 from ratchet wheel 62 occurs simultaneously with the turning off ofswitch 33 as described with reference to FIG. 4, and by which solenoid36 is deenergized.

When the ratchet wheel 62 has been made freely rotatable bydisengagement of the pawls therefrom, the spring 18 pulls slide plate 7and rack 68 back to their original positions and the pinion 63 meshingwith the rack 68 and the ratchet wheel 62 are turned counter-clockwiseto their original positions shown on FIG. 8. In the course of suchreturn rotation of ratchet wheel 62 and pinion 63, spring 670 initiallykeeps pin 67 from participating in the return rotation until the end 71of slot 64 engages the pin 67. Upon engagement of slot end 71 with pin67, the force of spring 18 overcomes the force of spring 670 and thefinal return rotation of the ratchet wheel and pinion restores pin 67 toits original position of FIG. 8.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 to 12, it will be apparent that thenecessary displacement of plate 7 can be achieved with a short stroke ofthe solenoid armature 37 and such stroke is selected to be in the rangewhere the solenoid can exert its maximum force for a given consumptionof electric power. Since the solenoid 36 can be used most efficiently toreduce power consuption, the presently described embodiment is ofparticular utility when employed in small-sized, batterypoweredelectronic instruments. Further, since the stroke of solenoid armature37 is very short, the space needed for the push button assembly can beminimized.

Further, it will be apparent that, in all of the described push buttonassemblies according to this invention, a desired operative conditioncan be selected and maintained merely by lightly and only momentarilydepressing a desired push button. Further, since selection of any one ofmany operating conditions is achieved with only one switch means, suchas the micro-switch 33 and with only one drive means, such as thesolenoid 36 or motor 45, the push button assemblies according to thisinvention are simple in construction.

Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been describedin detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effectedtherein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

I. A push button assembly comprising a plurality of operating memberseach corresponding to a respective operating condition and beingindividually movable from a rest position to a displaced position toestablish the corresponding operating condition, locking meansengageable with each of said operating members to hold the engagedoperating member at said displaced position and being released from anyone of said operating members at said displaced position upon themovement of another of said operating members to said displacedposition, a drive means having an actuator that is moved in response toenergization of said drive means, a plurality of selecting membersrespectively associated with said operating members, means connectingsaid selecting members to said actuator for movement as a group with thelatter, each of said selecting members being individually displaceablefor selecting the respective operating condition, means for temporarilycoupling each of said selecting members, when individually displaced,with the respective operating member so that the latter is thenconstrained to follow the movement of the selecting members with saidactuator of the drive means and thereby be moved to said displacedposition, and switch means for energizing said drive means when any oneof said selecting members is individually displaced.

2, A push button assembly according to claim 1, further comprising latchmeans for holding each said individually displaced selecting member inits displaced condition and being released upon the completion of themovement of said actuator in response to energization of said drivemeans.

3. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drivemeans includes a solenoid.

4v A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoidhas an armature which constitutes said actuator and which is displacedupon energizing ofsaid solenoid by said switch means.

5. A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoidhas an armature which is repeatedly stroked when the solenoid isenergized by said switch means, and said drive means further includes aratchet wheel, a driving pawl connected with said armature andengageable with said ratchet wheel to turn the latter in response to therepeated stroking of said armature, a pinion rotatable with said ratchetwheel, a gear rack meshing with said pinion and constituting saidactuator, and release means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchetwheel upon completion their rotation thereof corresponding to movementof one of said operating members to said displaced position thereof.

6. A push button assembly according to claim 5, in which said drivemeans further includes a holding pawl engageable with said ratchet wheelto prevent return rotation thereof, and said release means also isoperative to disengage said holding pawl from said ratchet wheel uponsaid completion of the rotation thereof.

7. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drivemeans includes an electric motor energizable by said switch means.

8. A push button assembly according to claim I, in which said meansconnecting said selecting members to said actuator includes areciprocable slide plate, said selecting members are pivoted on saidslide plate in side-by-side relation to each other and individuallydisplaceable downwardly from raised positions to which the pivotedselecting members are yieldably urged, said operating members arereciprocable parallel to each other and parallel to the reciprocation ofsaid slide plate, said operating members have portions thereof extendingunder said selecting members and formed with apertures therein, and saidmeans for temporarily coupling each selecting member with the respectiveoperating member includes a projection depending from each selectingmember and engageable in said aperture of the respective operatingmember upon downward displacement of the selecting member.

9. A push button assembly according to claim 8, in which a switchactuating plate is mounted below said portions of the operating membersand is displaceable downwardly to actuate said switch means by any oneof the projections depending from said selecting members when said areprojection engages in the aperture of the respective operating member.

10. A push button assembly according to claim 9, in which said switchactuating plate has recesses therein located to receive a respective oneof said projections depending from the selecting members where said oneselecting member is displaced downwardly and the movement of saidactuator is completed, whereby to interrupt the actuation of said switchmeans.

11. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said lockingmeans includes a locking plate that is reciprocable transversely withrespect to the direction of movement of said operating members and whichhas a surface for each of said operating members at an angle to saiddirection of movement and terminating in a notch, and a projection oneach of said operating members riding on the respective angled surfaceof said locking plate to transversely displace the latter duringmovement of the respective operating member from said rest position andto engage in said notch when at said operating position.

lOl044 0485

1. A push button assembly comprising a plurality of operating members each corresponding to a respective operating condition and being individually movable from a rest position to a displaced position to establish the corresponding operAting condition, locking means engageable with each of said operating members to hold the engaged operating member at said displaced position and being released from any one of said operating members at said displaced position upon the movement of another of said operating members to said displaced position, a drive means having an actuator that is moved in response to energization of said drive means, a plurality of selecting members respectively associated with said operating members, means connecting said selecting members to said actuator for movement as a group with the latter, each of said selecting members being individually displaceable for selecting the respective operating condition, means for temporarily coupling each of said selecting members, when individually displaced, with the respective operating member so that the latter is then constrained to follow the movement of the selecting members with said actuator of the drive means and thereby be moved to said displaced position, and switch means for energizing said drive means when any one of said selecting members is individually displaced.
 2. A push button assembly according to claim 1, further comprising latch means for holding each said individually displaced selecting member in its displaced condition and being released upon the completion of the movement of said actuator in response to energization of said drive means.
 3. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drive means includes a solenoid.
 4. A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoid has an armature which constitutes said actuator and which is displaced upon energizing of said solenoid by said switch means.
 5. A push button assembly according to claim 3, in which said solenoid has an armature which is repeatedly stroked when the solenoid is energized by said switch means, and said drive means further includes a ratchet wheel, a driving pawl connected with said armature and engageable with said ratchet wheel to turn the latter in response to the repeated stroking of said armature, a pinion rotatable with said ratchet wheel, a gear rack meshing with said pinion and constituting said actuator, and release means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet wheel upon completion their rotation thereof corresponding to movement of one of said operating members to said displaced position thereof.
 6. A push button assembly according to claim 5, in which said drive means further includes a holding pawl engageable with said ratchet wheel to prevent return rotation thereof, and said release means also is operative to disengage said holding pawl from said ratchet wheel upon said completion of the rotation thereof.
 7. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said drive means includes an electric motor energizable by said switch means.
 8. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said means connecting said selecting members to said actuator includes a reciprocable slide plate, said selecting members are pivoted on said slide plate in side-by-side relation to each other and individually displaceable downwardly from raised positions to which the pivoted selecting members are yieldably urged, said operating members are reciprocable parallel to each other and parallel to the reciprocation of said slide plate, said operating members have portions thereof extending under said selecting members and formed with apertures therein, and said means for temporarily coupling each selecting member with the respective operating member includes a projection depending from each selecting member and engageable in said aperture of the respective operating member upon downward displacement of the selecting member.
 9. A push button assembly according to claim 8, in which a switch actuating plate is mounted below said portions of the operating members and is displaceable downwardly to actuate said switch means by any one of the projections depending from said selecting members when said are projection enGages in the aperture of the respective operating member.
 10. A push button assembly according to claim 9, in which said switch actuating plate has recesses therein located to receive a respective one of said projections depending from the selecting members where said one selecting member is displaced downwardly and the movement of said actuator is completed, whereby to interrupt the actuation of said switch means.
 11. A push button assembly according to claim 1, in which said locking means includes a locking plate that is reciprocable transversely with respect to the direction of movement of said operating members and which has a surface for each of said operating members at an angle to said direction of movement and terminating in a notch, and a projection on each of said operating members riding on the respective angled surface of said locking plate to transversely displace the latter during movement of the respective operating member from said rest position and to engage in said notch when at said operating position. 